Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-02-25
THE HOARDED WEALTH OF INDIA


lie Possesses into JcweIry.
Never during its existence las India
been so rich in jewelry as now. The
people are always adding 20 their stock.
Savings from nearly all sources are dis
posed of in this way. and these savings
arc being constantly middleton at the
expense Of clothing, sometimes at the ex-
pensc of greater nccessarics of life.
The making and the storing away of
wealth in this form is the national pc
culiarity of this country. 1t is INDUCED
i'll by all classes of natives. Jcwelry is
regarded as the most staple kind of
wealth. and fortunes are never counted
without estimating the value of the stock
of jewelry. 1t can always be pledged or
disposed of. The market for its sale is
never closed and never depressed.
Tho most ignorant native who wishes
to sell piece of icwclry knowsits market
value quite well. He can scarcely be
cheated. JcwcIry forms the greatest
factor in matrimcny. The most lowly
bride has her st1idhan. which Is often
equal in value to five years income of the
bridegroom. There is often scarcity of
clothing, sometimes q scarcity of cooking
pots, generally not q particle Of furniture,
but nearly always 4 stock of icwelry-
Tho wife that has no jewelry possesses
nothing else; she cannot be robbed. Tho
family that does not possess jewelry is
absolutely INDECENT One of the greatest
boasts of the jcwclry owner is that his
boards cannot be taxed. \ man may
own jewelry valued at lalih of rupees
and pay no income tax. This is a source
of great satisfaction. Jewelry yields no
recurring income, but it is priced more
than government paper. IF it never
increases it never diminishes." is a ma
tional saying, common among men and
women alike.
NO native marriage. except among the
most impoverished, takes place without n.
transfer of jewelry. and very frequently
of new jewelry. So great in value is the
new jewelry that is introduced into new
families by marriage, that we dare not
estimate it, the amount would be so fab
ulous. Truly the investment of wealth
in jewelry in India is the greatest and
most remarkable institution in the coun-
try. Every other investment sinks into
insigniiicance beside it.
Under no native prince or raiah of
former times has jewelry accumulated as
IL HIS dcCulnulatcu unUcr the BRUSH
government i'll British India. For GEN.
tury past the sacking of towns has been
unknown; the plumber of individuals has
been greatly restrained, and wealth in the
form of jcwelry has accumulated
One-half Of the people of India are
jcwelry owners. 1t is only when the day
of taking stock of the family iewelry
comes round, such as the occasion of q
wedding or great gala day, that a
stranger can form the slightest concep-
ton of the amount of wealth in the FAM
lily in the form of jewelry. Amazemcnt
at once strikes him as he for the first
time is permitted to see the amount of
accumulated wealth.
The inventory day is, par excellence,
the women's day. Gathered round the
iron safes, the cash boxes, the metallic
boxes, the neatly carved wooden boxes,
the delight of the women is observed
in their eyes as each pair of golden brace
lets studded with pearls; each pair Of
diamond, or emerald, or sapphire ear
rings. each nose ring with large pearls,
massive gold chains and large number
of rings; extensively and even extrava-
gantly gemmed, are handed round the
family circle for admiration. And great
is the family liSht.-Advocate of
! India.